Old School Style Principles That You Should Implement Right Now

It only takes a second to look at the old poster on the left and notice how stylish he is. The white and yellow bow tie is matched with the white hat with the yellow ribbon.

Style isn’t something new. Style was a way to distinguish true gentlemen from the average guy… and it STILL is.

If you’re a serious style student of mine, you probably know a lot of “tricks” to make your outfits stand out from the crowd. Things like rolling up your trousers or shirts and going sockless are just a few of the most popular ones. But a solid knowledge base is what you should aim for because it is much more important.

Most formal style boos are rather boring unless you’re passionate about style. That’s why I’m about to give you 3 style tips that I handpicked in my years of research in the field.

You can find dozens more tips in my Be Stylish ™ package but rest assured these are the most important ones. Ready? Here we go.

Principle #1: the man comes before the clothes

You have to understand that the purpose of clothes is to make YOU look good. It’s not about finding quirky ways of mixing and matching accessories.

The purpose of wearing any clothing item is to send a positive message about you that, in the end, will make people look into your eyes and think “this is someone who I definitely want to meet”.

What does this all mean, then?

Simply put, a simple and elegant outfit can often times make a more lasting impression than if you were wearing a really eccentric one. This depends on the social encounter, obviously, but this is as true today as it was a hundred years ago.

A nice fitting suit and a nice pair of black or brown leather shoes will convey more power and charisma than an over-accessorized casual outfit.

Remember this: every item of clothing you put on you has a very important mission: it’s sending a message about you. So make sure it is the right message.

Principle #2: Fit is king

If you ever wondered where this saying is coming from, it has its roots in formal style. Any item of clothing should flatter your body lines and give the impression that it was made for you. Sometimes, having custom clothes made is the best. Other times, buying the off the rack and have them adjusted is good enough. Just remember that slim fit is becoming more and more popular, trumping regular fit and baggy clothes.

Pay extra attention to the length of your clothes’ sleeves. I’m talking particularly about shirts, suit jackets, sports jackets, blazers, v-necks and roundneck sweaters.

The shirt’s cuff should be 1 or 2 inches visible from underneath the top that you’re wearing. This means you probably need to adjust all your shirts and jackets. Your tailor is there to help you so don’t be afraid to put him to work – that’s his job.

Principle #3: Formal accessories work

Have you ever worn cufflinks? How about a bow tie or a fedora? If you haven’t, I suggest you take my suggestion seriously and start buying them. Just because formal style is often associated with something old, this doesn’t mean it’s outdated.

If anything, formal style is making a comeback and is merging with casual style to form a modern mixture that’s pleasing to the eye and attracts a lot of attention.

So here’s what I want you to do. From the list of accessories below, choose 3 of them and commit that you’ll look for them in malls the next time you go shopping. Do we have a deal?

• cufflinks
• ties
• bow ties
• fedoras
• classic umbrellas
• pocket qatches
• pocket squares
• slim/formal belts
• tie bars and tie clips

Any of the above accessories will draw a lot of attention from women because they magically transform you into a powerful man. If anything, you should be careful when you’re wearing them.